Unit 9J Gravity and space

Science
Year 9

About the unit

In this unit pupils:
learn about the gravitational pull between bodies; how it depends on the masses of
bodies and the distance between them
relate the movement of planets around the Sun, and that of satellites around the Earth, to
gravitation
study how artificial satellites are used to observe the Earth and provide information about
the solar system and the universe
find out about space exploration
In scientific enquiry pupils:
consider different views of the nature of the solar system and evaluate them against
relevant evidence
how scientists work together to gather and interpret evidence from space
make predictions from patterns in data
consider and evaluate conflicting evidence
This unit is expected to take approximately 7.5 hours.

Where the unit fits in

This unit builds on unit 7K Forces and their effects and unit 7L The solar system and
beyond.
The unit relates to unit 9K Speeding up.
It lays the foundation for work in key stage 4 on theories about the nature and evolution of
the universe.
The historical impact of discoveries in astronomy is covered in unit 21 Scientific
discoveries in the history scheme of work.

QCA 2000

Expectations
At the end of this unit
in terms of scientific enquiry
most pupils will: use a model of gravitational attraction to explain orbiting; describe how
ideas of the nature of the solar system have changed over time and relate these to
available evidence; make effective use of secondary sources to find information from
recent space exploration about the nature of the solar system
some pupils will not have made so much progress and will: describe some early ideas
about the solar system
some pupils will have progressed further and will: explain how experimental evidence
has led to changes over time in models of the solar system; evaluate recent information
and ideas about the origin of the Moon
in terms of physical processes
most pupils will: recognise that gravity is a universal force of attraction between objects
and that this force depends on their masses and distance apart; describe how weight is
different on different planets; give examples of the use of artificial satellites
some pupils will not have made so much progress and will: recognise that weight is
less on the Moon; describe gravity as a force which acts throughout the solar system;
give examples of the use of artificial satellites
some pupils will have progressed further and will: use data to compare gravity on
different planets; describe how the forces on rockets or satellites vary as they travel away
from the Earth

Prior learning
It is helpful if pupils know:
that the gravitational attraction of the Earth on a mass causes weight
about the planets of the solar system, how they orbit the Sun, and how satellites, eg
moons, orbit them
that forces affect the motion of bodies

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Science - Unit 9J Gravity and space

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
CHILDREN SHOULD LEARN

POSSIBLE TEACHING ACTIVITIES

LEARNING OUTCOMES
CHILDREN SHOULD

POINTS TO NOTE

Health and safety

Risk assessments are required for any hazardous activity. In this unit pupils:
use a fast-moving object to explore orbits
Model risk assessments used by most employers for normal science activities can be found
in the publications listed in the Teachers guide. Teachers need to follow these as indicated
in the guidance notes for the activities, and consider what modifications are needed for
individual classroom situations.

Language for learning

Through the activities in this unit pupils will be able to understand, use and spell correctly:
words with similar but distinct meanings, eg mass, weight, gravitational attraction, orbit,
revolve
words relating to planetary motion, eg satellite
Through the activities pupils could:
understand the effect of different aspects of formality (passive verbs, third person,
abstract nouns)

Resources
Resources include:
secondary sources on aspects of the solar system, space travel and satellites, eg CDROMs, video clips, internet
a water rocket
food packs labelled with the weight they would have on other planets
information on early ideas and alternative models of the solar system and the universe
from a range of cultures

Out-of-school learning
Pupils could:
visit libraries or museums to find out more about space travel and the exploration of other
planets
find out how reception dishes for satellite TV are aligned to the position of the satellite
use the internet to communicate with space scientists online and access images from
satellites, eg NASAs websites www.nasa.gov
read books and watch films about space exploration and travel, eg Apollo 13

QCA 2000

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Science unit 9J Gravity and space

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
PUPILS SHOULD LEARN

POSSIBLE TEACHING ACTIVITIES

LEARNING OUTCOMES
PUPILS

POINTS TO NOTE

Lesson One - What is gravity?

that gravity is an attractive
force which acts on the
Earth towards the centre of
the planet
that gravity is an attractive
force between objects with
mass
about how the idea of gravity
was related to empirical
observations

Starter
Review knowledge of forces.
Main Activities
Remind pupils of the distinction between mass and weight and that weight
is the force due to gravity. Present pupils with a picture of the Earth and
ask them to indicate what would happen to a ball dropped at different
positions. Establish that the ball would fall towards the Earth and that this
is the definition of downwards. Generalise that gravity is an attractive
force between any masses, but that we feel its pull only with very large
masses, such as the Earth.
Use the historical association of the newton to highlight that the concept of
gravity was a very difficult one for scientists to understand. Explain that
while Newton did not discover gravity, he formulated the concept
mathematically and realised its importance, at levels ranging from apples
falling from trees to the orbits of planets. Drop an apple into pupils hands
to feel the gravitational force of 1 newton. Ask pupils to lift masses of a
known value and feel the attractive force of the Earths gravity pulling them
back.

state that a ball dropped

anywhere on the Earth will
fall towards the centre of the
planet, due to the attractive
gravitational force between
masses
use the idea of gravity to
explain a range of
observations both familiar
and novel

It is important for pupils to realise

that gravity is associated with
physical bodies, and not with a
concept of down-ness.
Whilst there is some doubt over the
accuracy of the story involving the
falling apple, it is one which pupils
may know and be interested in. It is
a curious coincidence that the force
of gravity on an average apple is
about 1 newton.
Pupils could use the value of the
gravitational field strength of the
Earth (10Nkg -1) to work out the
force in newtons on different masses
(relates to unit 7K Forces and their
effects).

Ask pupils to explain (with the use of diagrams, how a parachute traveling
towards earth works using the concept of balanced and unbalanced
forces.
Ask pupils to explain how a parachute traveling towards the moon would
differ from that of earth.
Alternative Activity: 9Ja/1 Gravity questions
Extension
How would a parachute work towards other planets?
Plenary Ask students to explain the difference between mass and
gravity
Homework 9Ja/3 Changing gravity
Extended writing task: How does a parachute work?

QCA 2000

Browse, save, edit or print Schemes of Work from the Standards Site at www.standards.dfee.gov.uk

Science - Unit 9J Gravity and space

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
PUPILS SHOULD LEARN

POSSIBLE TEACHING ACTIVITIES

LEARNING OUTCOMES
PUPILS

POINTS TO NOTE

Lesson Two - How does gravity change?

that where the gravitational
force is lower than on the
Earth, the mass of an object
remains the same, but its
weight is less
to use quantitative
relationships
to gain experience of graph
drawing and conclusion
writing

Starter
Scramble some words and ask students to unscramble. Words could
get harder. (Good for students to learn spellings)
Main Activities
Elicit understanding of mass and weight on Earth.
Use Boardworks 2005 9J to help explain mass and weight.
Ask pupils to hang masses from a newtonmeter. Use masses from 0.1kg
up to 1kg. Record results in a table: kg/N.
Record results on a graph. Remind pupils of input and outcome variables.

Ask pupils to write a conclusion to explain their results
Alternative Activity 9Jb/2 Gravity on other planets
Extension
Estimate the weight of 1kg on other planets in the Solar System.
Plenary
Review conclusions using peer marking (work in pairs).

Lesson Three Space Exploration

use information provided to

determine the mass and
weight of objects on the
Moon and other planets
describe the implications of
this for visitors to those
places
calculate and describe
variation in weight

The use of thought experiments, ie

imagine what would happen if, is a
good means of eliciting pupils ideas
and understanding about what is an
abstract and difficult concept.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
PUPILS SHOULD LEARN

that gravitational attraction

between bodies decreases
as the distance between
them increases
about some examples of
space exploration
that the weight of an object
can vary whilst the mass
remains the same

POSSIBLE TEACHING ACTIVITIES

Starter
Redraft extended writing task How does a parachute work? or9jd/1 Gravity
revision

Main Activities
Ask pupils to think about how rockets get away from the Earth. Illustrate
using secondary sources, eg using software simulations or video clips of
space shuttles, or demonstrate with a water rocket.
Establish that, for a rocket to get off the ground, a thrust force greater than
the rockets weight is needed. It is clear that it gets easier the higher the
rocket travels (less fuel is needed). However, the rocket has less mass,
having shed some of its load, so it would be accelerating even if gravity
were the same. Lower ability pupils may benefit from building their own
rockets
Ask pupils to use secondary sources to present an account of space
exploration. This could be completed as an ICT activity or using textbooks
and a book box from the library. Ask pupils to produce one A4 page of
information. Use worksheet Space Exploration to assist this task. A
wring frame could be used for lower ability pupils.
Alternative Activity 9Jb/1 the vomit comet or 9jb/4 space exploration.
You will need a computer room
Extension
What do you think will be the next landmarks of human exploration of space
and what evidence is there to support your agreement?
Plenary
Homework
Find out how our ideas about the solar system have developed over time.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
PUPILS

show, eg by a force diagram,

that a rocket needs a large
upward force to rise against
gravity
describe, eg using
annotations, that the
gravitational force decreases
as the rocket gets further
from the Earth
describe some of the
landmarks of human
exploration of space, eg Yuri
Gagarin, Valentina
Tereshkova, Neil Armstrong,
Helen Sharman
describe how the effects of
gravity change during a
voyage to the Moon and
relate this to mass and
weight of astronauts

POINTS TO NOTE

There are many reference sources,

including CD-ROM encyclopedias
and internet sites, available to
support this activity, e.g.
www.russianspace.com
www.exosci.com , which pupils
could research for themselves.
Some pupils may need specific
questions to answer.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
PUPILS SHOULD LEARN

POSSIBLE TEACHING ACTIVITIES

LEARNING OUTCOMES
PUPILS

POINTS TO NOTE

Lesson Four - How have our ideas about the solar system changed?
that our ideas about the
solar system have changed
over time
to consider and evaluate
conflicting evidence to arrive
at a view
to use more formal language
appropriate to objectivity and
impartiality

Starter
Write the words geocentric and heliocentric on the board. Ask pupils to
work in pairs to work out what these two words may mean. Ask lower
ability pupils to look up the meaning of these words.
Main Activities
Discuss the meaning of geocentric and heliocentric theories.

Ask pupils to produce a timeline to include the people involved in
our ideas about the solar system. Include names, dates and at least 3
facts about each person.
Ask pupils to choose one of these people and write an argument to explain
the significance of this work using formal language appropriately.
Alternative Activity
Present, using secondary sources, some alternative models of the solar
system, eg the ideas of the ancient civilisations of Egypt, India, Greece,
and the contributions of Thales, Aristarchus of Samos, Copernicus. Ask
pupils to consider a model and to use secondary sources, eg internet
sites, encyclopedias, to suggest the evidence for and against it.
With the class, summarise the main strengths and weaknesses of each
model and ask pupils to write up their own conclusion. Use 9Jc/1 For and
against 1 or 9Jc/2 For and against 2 for higher ability
Extension
Think about what contemporary ideas about the solar system would have
been in the time that Copernicus was working. How would you have
persuaded people of the time that his theory was correct?
Plenary

Go back to the starter and see what they remember

Homework Write a brief summary of why these ideas about the solar
system would have been hard for the people of the time to understand. Or
9Jb/3 Getting into space

describe an early model of

the solar system and how it
differs from our present
model
argue a point of view in
defence of a model of the
solar system, providing
evidence for their position
use more formal language in
their summary, eg passive
verbs, third person

This activity provides an opportunity

to illustrate early ideas about the
solar system from a range of
cultures. Pupils will not find it easy
to provide evidence which
contradicts some of these theories.
A heliocentric model with orbiting
planets requires an understanding of
what maintains the planets in motion
at fixed distances round the Sun.
This was a major challenge to
scientists.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
PUPILS SHOULD LEARN

POSSIBLE TEACHING ACTIVITIES

LEARNING OUTCOMES
PUPILS

POINTS TO NOTE

Lesson Five - What keeps the planets and satellites in orbit?

that the Sun is massive and
exerts a very large
gravitational force, which
keeps planets in orbit
to relate the model of
circular motion to data on
the orbits of planets and
satellites
that the Moon is a natural
satellite of the Earth, whose
orbit is maintained by the
Earths gravitational pull

Starter
Ask pupils what is a satellite? (Ensure that the Moon is mentioned as well
as manmade satellites).
Main Activities
Show pupils a video on the formation of the solar system. Ask them to
extract information about the effects of gravity on the resultant shapes and
motions of the planets and other bodies. Discuss the main points with
pupils.
Help pupils to make the link between circular motion and inward force by
swinging a rubber bung on a string in a circular motion. Point out the
tension in the string, which suggests an outward pull by the bung. Ask
pupils what would happen if the string were cut.
Relate the orbit of the Moon round the Earth to that of the planets round
the Sun. Explain that since the Moon is so close to the Earth, its orbit is
influenced by the Earths gravity rather than that of the Sun.
Ask pupils to write an explanation of this in order that Year 7 pupils would
understand. Diagrams may also be useful.
Ask pupils to peer mark the work in pairs to assess whether they would
understand from what has been written.
Alternative Activity 9Jd/3 More about satellites (you will need a
computer room)
Extension
Rewrite the work for an older audience. Could you include a more detailed
explanation? Do you need to include some more scientific words?
Plenary Students can read out 1 fact they have learnt
Homework
Ask pupils to redraft their work using the comments made by the marker.

extract relevant information

from a video
explain that it is the Suns
gravitational force that keeps
planets in orbit
state that the Moon is a
natural satellite of the Earth,
kept in orbit by the Earths
gravitational pull

Pupils will find the link between the

Suns gravity and planetary motion
difficult to accept. Many pupils think
that something moving in a circle
has an inherent circular motion and
would continue to move in a circle of
its own accord.
Safety
care is needed with fast-moving
objects
Pupils need to recognise that the
Moon would travel in a straight line if
it were not for the pull of the Earths
gravity. A software or video
simulation would be useful to show
this.
Extension: the origin of the Moon in
its current orbit has been of interest
to astronomers for many years. Two
opposing theories are:
gravitational capture of an asteroid
by the Earth
an interplanetary collision during
the early formation of the Earth,
which threw off a ball of hot gases
that have since coalesced to
become the Moon
Pupils could find out about these two
theories. Recent evidence supports
the latter proposal.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
PUPILS SHOULD LEARN

POSSIBLE TEACHING ACTIVITIES

LEARNING OUTCOMES
PUPILS

POINTS TO NOTE

Lesson Six The Use of Artificial Satellites

about some uses of artificial
satellites
about information that can
be gained through the use of
satellites
how scientists work together
to collect information and
make predictions

Starter
Ask pupils to write a list of the uses for artificial satellites.
Main Activities
Discuss the uses for satellites and the possible problems with satellites.
Ideas for discussion are suggested below:
Ask pupils to consider What is the Global Positioning System (GPS) and
how does it work? What impact have satellites had on everyday life?
Ask pupils to consider How are weather satellites used? What is a space
station used for? How do scientists interpret information from satellites to
make predictions?
Ask pupils to find out whether the satellites studied are geostationary or
in polar orbit, and explain the significance of this. Discuss with pupils how
information from satellites is sent back to Earth, emphasising the large
distances.

describe some uses of

artificial satellites, eg to
assist weather forecasting,
TV transmissions
explain why some satellites
need to be in geostationary
orbits
describe how satellite probes
provide information about
the solar system and how
this information is used

Pupils could use an internet search

engine to find out about satellites,
including downloading live images
from satellites showing weather
conditions around the world.
Pupils may have considered the use
of weather satellites in unit 10
Weather patterns over Europe in
the geography scheme of work and
in unit 8 Public information systems
in the ICT scheme of work.
This topic could be enhanced by a
visit to an establishment that makes
use of data from satellites, or by a
visit from a scientist. Hand-held
GPS finders are available from
equipment suppliers.
Extension: pupils could be asked to
answer questions using reference
sources such as a CD-ROM, eg
How is a satellite maintained in
orbit around the Earth?
How is a satellite put into orbit?
What different types of orbit are
there and how are satellites
maintained in them?

produce key points related to

mass and weight, the solar
system, satellites

Keywords can be found on the

network for Unit 9J.

ensure understanding of the

key points of the module

End of unit test will be joined with

Unit 9I and taken at the end of

Ask pupils to use an atlas (provided by Geography) and locate your

position in the world. Use a GPS system
Write a detailed scientific description of how the GPS system can locate
you. More help will be needed for lower ability.
Extension
Ask pupils to describe how they think the use of satellites will evolve in the
future. Explain how the use of satellites was seen as science fiction until
relatively recently.
Plenary
Explain the terms geostationary and polar orbit.
Homework
SATs questions.

Lesson Seven - Reviewing work

to review their knowledge
and understanding of
planetary and satellite
motion
to define and use keywords.

Starter
A list of keywords for pupils to define in groups. Discuss answers.
Show Boardwork presentation or KS3 Bitesize video

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
PUPILS SHOULD LEARN

POSSIBLE TEACHING ACTIVITIES

Main Activities
Mindmap for the module (can work in pairs) compare with others.
Levelled worksheet

Plenary
Recap and discussion followed by any additional points learned to be added
to be added to mindmap.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
PUPILS

A mindmap and list of

keywords to use for revision

POINTS TO NOTE

this module.